Erik's emotion was so great that he had to tell the Persian not to look

at him, for he was choking and must take off his mask. The daroga went

to the window and opened it. His heart was full of pity, but he took

care to keep his eyes fixed on the trees in the Tuileries gardens, lest

he should see the monster's face.

"I went and released the young man," Erik continued, "and told him to

come with me to Christine ... They kissed before me in the

Louis-Philippe room ... Christine had my ring ... I made Christine

swear to come back, one night, when I was dead, crossing the lake from

the Rue-Scribe side, and bury me in the greatest secrecy with the gold

ring, which she was to wear until that moment. ... I told her where

she would find my body and what to do with it... Then Christine kissed

me, for the first time, herself, here, on the forehead--don't look,

daroga!--here, on the forehead ... on my forehead, mine--don't look,

daroga!--and they went off together... Christine had stopped crying

... I alone cried ... Daroga, daroga, if Christine keeps her promise,

she will come back soon! ..."

The Persian asked him no questions. He was quite reassured as to the

fate of Raoul Chagny and Christine Daae; no one could have doubted the

word of the weeping Erik that night.

The monster resumed his mask and collected his strength to leave the

daroga. He told him that, when he felt his end to be very near at

hand, he would send him, in gratitude for the kindness which the

Persian had once shown him, that which he held dearest in the world:

all Christine Daae's papers, which she had written for Raoul's benefit

and left with Erik, together with a few objects belonging to her, such

as a pair of gloves, a shoe-buckle and two pocket-handkerchiefs. In

reply to the Persian's questions, Erik told him that the two young

people, at soon as they found themselves free, had resolved to go and

look for a priest in some lonely spot where they could hide their

happiness and that, with this object in view, they had started from

"the northern railway station of the world." Lastly, Erik relied on

the Persian, as soon as he received the promised relics and papers, to

inform the young couple of his death and to advertise it in the EPOQUE.

That was all. The Persian saw Erik to the door of his flat, and Darius

helped him down to the street. A cab was waiting for him. Erik

stepped in; and the Persian, who had gone back to the window, heard him

say to the driver: "Go to the Opera."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024